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Technological Innovations for Ocean Plastic Waste Management: A Global Bibliometric Analysis of Research Trends, Collaboration Networks, and Emerging Technologies
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This study reviews over 12,000 research papers to map out how scientists worldwide are tackling ocean plastic pollution, showing a big jump in research (especially after 2015) focused on microplastics, recycling, and new tech like AI to track and manage plastic waste. While this paper doesn't test new solutions itself, it shows that global research is increasingly aimed at understanding and reducing microplastic contamination, the same tiny plastic particles found in our water, food, and even our bodies, which matters because more focused research means we're closer to real solutions that protect both ocean ecosystems and human health.
Ocean plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental challenges worldwide, driving increasing interest in technology-based solutions for monitoring, prevention, mitigation, and sustainable waste management. Despite the rapid growth of research in this field, a comprehensive understanding of its scientific development, collaboration patterns, and emerging technological directions remains limited. This study presents a global bibliometric analysis of technological innovations for ocean plastic waste management using 12,039 English-language publications retrieved from the Scopus database on 09 July 2026. Bibliographic data were analyzed using Bibliometrix (RStudio) and VOSviewer to examine publication trends, influential authors, journals, institutions, countries, collaboration networks, conceptual structures, and thematic evolution. The findings reveal a substantial increase in scientific production, particularly after 2015, demonstrating the rapid expansion of this interdisciplinary research domain. China, the United States, and several European and Asian countries emerged as the leading contributors to scientific productivity and international collaboration, while Marine Pollution Bulletin and Science of the Total Environment ranked among the most productive publication sources. Author keyword co-occurrence analysis identified microplastics, plastic waste, circular economy, recycling, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and remote sensing as dominant research themes. Thematic evolution further revealed a transition from broad marine pollution research toward technology-oriented investigations emphasizing plastic waste management and microplastics. Overall, the study provides a comprehensive knowledge map of the field, highlighting the growing integration of digital technologies and sustainable waste management strategies. The findings offer valuable insights for researchers, policymakers, and environmental practitioners in identifying research priorities, strengthening international collaboration, and advancing technology-driven solutions for sustainable ocean plastic waste management.
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